Celebrate Inventors Day And Be Inspired

February 11, 2021

By Beatrice Alvarez

How does the shortest month of the year have so many wonderful things to celebrate? Irony, perhaps? Who knows, but one day we like to celebrate in February is National Inventors Day. We love learning about inventors who have changed lives with their creative spirit. And of course, we hope that learning more about their ingenuity will inspire future inventors! Enjoy these documentaries about and interviews with some well-known and some not-so-well-known creators.

Frederick McKinley Jones

Do you every enjoy fresh produce and food that came from a very distant place? You can thank Frederick McKinley Jones for that! This episode of Minnesota Experience highlights the talented engineer and inventor who revolutionized refrigeration systems for train cars and trucks.

Ted Fujita a.k.a. Mr. Tornado

Ted Fujita was a meticulous notetaker and a careful observer. It was his focused study of his environment that led him to study forces of nature. He is best remembered for inventing a way to measure tornado strength: the F-Scale, that stands for the Fujita Scale.

American Experience brings us his life story and truly inspires in the process.

Lillian Gilbreth: Pioneering Inventor

American Masters introduces us to Lillian Gilbreth, the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Gilbreth pioneered the application of psychology to workplace efficiency. Her contributions to scientific and engineering fields are lasting and her personal story is intriguing, including her disgraceful support of the eugenics movement.

Clessie Cummins: Hoosier Inventor

WTIU Documentaries brings us the story of a boy on an Indiana farm who grew up to be the father of the diesel truck engine. Automotive innovator Clessie Cummins was constantly learning and trying new things in his lifetime.

George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life

We would be remiss if we didn't celebrate one of our country's greatest inventors: George Washington Carver. We could be accused of talking about him a lot, but it is well-deserved and we stand by our George Washington Carver fandom. Learning about his life in this Iowa PBS documentary makes you appreciate just how remarkable he was.

It's also worth noting that he was one of many Black inventors who had to be creative in their fields and also confront systems that were built to exclude them. Say It Loud covered this topic better than we ever could.

Sara Blakely

You might be familiar with the product even if you aren't familiar with the inventor. Sara Blakely took an idea to improve the fit and look of her clothing and turned it into an apparel empire. In this episode of To Dine For With Kate Sullivan, we hear Blakely tell the story of how she created Spanx (over sushi.) Yes, that Spanx.